Senate of NED university approves Rs 1,371 million recurring budget

Senate of NED University of Engineering and Technology on Thursday approved the recurring budget of Rs 1,371 million of the varsity for the year 2010-11 with a deficit of Rs 95 million. The meeting was held with Sindh Education Minister Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq in chair. Speaking on the occasion education minister informed that the provincial government will establish Sindh Education Commission, replica of Higher Education Commission on provincial level.
The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has been devolved after approval of 18th Amendment and now HEC has taken a stay from the court due to which government has released funds to the said body, Mazhar said, adding that HEC is to be ultimately devolved to the provinces according to the spirit of 18th Amendment.
In this connection law has been promulgated which needs to be approved by Sindh Assembly, Mazhar told the meeting. He said the provincial government has to present the bill in the provincial Assembly for the set-up of this commission. He said that the provincial autonomy was the dream of the masses, while the democratic government has made the dream true.
Higher Education Commission (HEC) has given the grant of Rs 700 million to NED University, while the figure of Rs 978 million was demanded by the University. As per the NED Officials: "The HEC grant is not sufficient; the University has planned to bearing the University out of this deficit of Rs 95 million by getting control over the expenditures of the varsity. The expected income is Rs 1,275 million.
Last year, Rs 1,227 million was the approved budget with deficit of Rs 1.9 that was converted later into Rs 1.3 million profits." The university demanded for an annual grant of Rs 540 million while HEC is committed to give Rs 622 million. The expected income is Rs 814.562 million. The university demanded the Higher Education Commission (HEC) for an annual grant of Rs 540 million while HEC is committed to give Rs 622 million. The expected income is Rs 814.562 million. NED University Vice-Chancellor Engineer Abul Kalam has presented the highlights of annual report- 2010-11.
He said that currently the university has 74 PhD faculty members, while this figure was 42 in 2007-08. He said, "NED has expanded disciplines as well as increase in both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The overall enrolment at the varsity is 8,243; it was 6,700 in 2007-08. Around 111 PhD Scholars are working in other universities both in Pakistan and abroad as well. NED Varsity has spent Rs 344 million on account of development projects, including its strengthening and construction of academic block at LEJ Campus.
As many as 1,088 candidates are being provided with scholarships worth Rs 11.6 million. However, this figure was Rs 6.2 million in 2004-05." On the occasion, Vice-Chancellor Dr Abul Kalam, Pro Vice-Chancellor NED University Dr Muzaffar Mehmood, Registrar Engineer Jawed Aziz Khan, Dr Sahibzad Rafiqui, Chairman BSEK Anzar Zaidi were also present.